


The Apprentice's Class

by CasualPeruser



Category: Rigel Black Chronicles
Genre: Gen, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28966572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasualPeruser/pseuds/CasualPeruser
Summary: A new strain of Spattergroit threatens the british wizarding world.  Potion's master Snape is called to deal with this crisis.  Who will take over his duties while he is away?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 69





	The Apprentice's Class

**Author's Note:**

> This is takes place after chapter 12 of murkybluematter's futile facade. If you have not read the series, you will be confused.

Snape sighed in vexation. Malcolm Hurst was calling in his favor and now was not a good time. His apprentice was truly beginning to master free brewing, and was recovering from the shock of being drugged and forced to compete in front of the entire student body. He did not need to deal with any other problems. Master Hurst's head still had not vanished. The head bobbed in the fire place, and Severus could see the fatigue on his face, even through the flames.  
"Severus. My wife, the head of the clinic in the lower alleys says it's serious. The first case of spattergroit was last week, and she is not doing well. There are 20 people that we know of who have contracted it. Severus." Hurst waited until he looked him in the eye. "Ten of them have had spattergroit before- it's a new strain." Snape paled, Spattergroit was one of those chidhood diseases that you caught once and then never again- this was different. "It's only a matter of time before it spreads to the rest of the magical world and to Hogwarts. We have put quarantine orders in place for most of the lower alleys, but that can only buy us so much time. My wife has issued a request to St. Mungo's to have the infectious disease specialist do an analysis, but they said it will have to wait, apparently. We need a fast response. I need your name, I need your talents, I will get you whoever you need to work with."

"I cannot promise anything. I do have duties here at Hogwarts. I will run this past the Headmaster but... I agree that the response needs to be swift and bureaucracy tends to move at glacial speeds. I can promise to give you my weekend and assist with research. I will need your wife's notes as well as a meeting with her to discuss theories of how the strain is different. I would like Damocles and Reginald to be on this. You will inform them to be at the guild 8 am tomorrow. We will start then." 

"Severus, thank you. Truly." The line between Hurst's eyes softened and the flames sputtered out as his head vanished from the grate. 

So much for a relaxing weekend. 

The next hour found Snape clutching a cup of tea, seated in a chintz armchair in front of the headmaster. Dumbledore surveyed him seriously. "You are quite right, this is dreadful timing, but we also cannot afford to sit idly by. If there are already 20 new cases since last week, it will not be long before it affects Hogwarts. I will give you the week. That should give you 9 days to do your research and help develop a tonic to combat the new spattergroit."

Severus looked up from his tea, "There is the issue of my classes. OWLs and NEWTs are around the corner, and I do not trust the younger years to continue with self study in my absence."  
Dumbledore hummed, "You have an apprentice, do you not?"  
Snape gaped at him, "Mr. Black has just a bit on his plate right now- he conquered that tower while drugged in front of his classmates, has the final task in less than a month, his other class work to keep up with. He does not need to deal with teenagers who will challenge his authority."

Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth and said thoughtfully, "Certainly we will need to ask Mr. Black first. But as for the other issues- based on how Minerva and Filius have been extolling his proficiency, I doubt he will suffer from missing one week from his other classes. If I were to believe them, Mr. Black could take his OWLs tomorrow and handily get an exceeds in his core curricular classes. As for the tournament, I feel as though our Mr. Black could benefit the distraction that teaching 7 years would provide. Were you not planning on using Rigel as a teacher's aide next year? What better way to practice than to have Mr. Black take over your classes, unless you feel as though Mr. Black is not knowledgable enough to teach"

"I would prefer," Snape said, "to not throw him to the wolves. It is not a matter of Rigel's knowledge and mastery of potions that is in question. It is a matter of respect, and trust from my current students. My older years will likely be insulted, and attempt to challenge his authority, let alone to have him teaching a class full of his peers."

Dumbledore peered at Snape over his glasses, "I think you will find the student body respects Rigel. But I will take your concerns under advisement. Ponoma should be able to assist with any disciplinary needs on Monday morning, and I will see if Filch is up to the task of ensuring the students remain respectful of Rigel."

\---  
HpHp Harry knocked on the door to lab 17, trying to stop herself from bouncing on the soles of her feet. She arrived 5 minutes before their scheduled time, and had spent all five of those minutes pacing in front of the door, trying to work off her excess giddiness- Snape did not appreciate her absolute feeling of rapture at free brewing. Harry adored the prompts that Snape provided: make a potion that will cause the drinker to feel as though they are falling, make a potion that will improve the imprinting of memories, make a potion in which the individual will be unable to speak truths, make a potion that will improve night vision. They were often silly, and Harry's attempts often ended with the potion vanished, or with a potion that improved night vision, but also made the eyes glow in the dark, or with the memory potion- the memory felt more clear in her mind, but Professor Snape informed her that her reasoning was greatly diminished.

It was all quite wonderful. The door opened, and Snape returned behind his desk. There were no cauldrons out. "Professor?" Harry asked tentatively. "Where is the brewing station?"  
The Professor shuffled the papers and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Unfortunately, there has been a change of plans. There has been an outbreak of spattergroit near Diagon. I have been called upon by the Aldermaster Hurst to lead the research into developing a tonic. Time is of the essence Rigel, and I will be gone for the week."

"Do they know how the strain has evolved? Does it still spread through direct contact and still seem to be affecting children the most? Is the preventative tonic that you developed effective?" 

Snape looked at her amused. "Those are questions that I am attempting to solve. Healer Hurst was kind enough to send over her notes as well as her speculation as to how this strain is different."

"Ah," Harry said. It must be in the lower alleys then. Snape was the best. "How can I help professor? Do you want me to collect data, or brainstorm different variations to pursue?"

Snape felt something like pride in him unfurl. Snape cleared his throat, "With events as they are, Hogwarts is the best place for you. And I may have need of you here. If you would be willing to teach my classes in my absence, that would be a great help to me."

Harry stared. "But how will I know what to go over with them, and what if they misbehave?"

Snape interjected, "You can say 'no'. No one will be disqualified from becoming a wizard because they don't receive potions instruction for a week."  
"But this is getting close to OWL and NEWT testing for the upper classmen. I don't think they would appreciate no instruction for a week" Harry responded.  
Snape nodded and hesitated, "I was planning on having you teach the underclassmen next year. I have talked to my colleagues who say that they would not mind having you read ahead and test out of the classes each week. You would still need to complete your essays, but" the professor hesitates, "it would give us more time to experiment and free brew together."

"Yes." Harry says immediately, "I will stay on top of my other classes, and teach the little munchkins Potions so well that they will never make a silly potion's mistake. By the time I'm through with them they will respect the art of potion making. And if I grade the lower year's essays, do you think we could do free brewing every day?" Harry spun in a circle. "How can I prove myself to you?"

"Rigel, there is nothing to prove. Professor Sprout will give you some pointers for upholding discipline in your class on Monday morning, and Filch will be there the rest of the time. You have proved yourself a truly proficient brewer. However, I caution you to watch out for stupidity that you have never seen before from your classmates. Rigel, do not expect these cretins to make rational decisions. Expect the unexpected, and prepare for the worst."

"Yes professor."

"As much as I would love to spend time researching this new strain, we will need to spend our meeting time going over the lesson plans."

Rigel smiled coyly, "Perhaps we can go over the lesson plans first, you can show me the schedule for the coming week, and then we can discuss the rest of the findings from Healer Hurst in greater detail."

Snape smiled. Yes, this was definitely pride.


End file.
